Automobile headlight



' 1,618,108 Feb l5 1927' R. A. RUSSELL, JR

' AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT Filed Sent 16, 1926 Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

nire r RUFUS A. RUSSELL, JR., OF HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

AUTOMOBILE I-llEADIJIIa'rI-I'I'` Application filed September 16, 1926. Serial No. 135,912.

My said invention relates to automobile headlights and has for its object the provision of a headlight which will clearly illuminate the roadway in front and to the side of the vehicle upon which the same is mounted and will cast a light in a substantially straight line or horizontal plane but will not blind the driver of an approaching vehicle. This invention is an improvement over that shown in my Patent No. 1,595,025, granted August 3, 1926.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a. front elevation of the invention with part of the lens and frame broken away,

Figure 2, a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a perspective of the reflector, and

Figure 4, a central longitudinal section through one end of the reflector shown in Figure 3.

In the drawings reference character 10 indicates an elongated casing which may be supported in any desired manner at the front of the vehicle, preferably in horizontal position and at substantially the same height as the headlights ordinarily used, said elongated casing having its ends rounded as shown. An elongated reflector 11 is mounted in said casing, said reflector being preferably formed of a cross section, as shown in Figure 2, comprising a relatively narrow central longitudinally extending concave portion or trough, an upper adjoining parallel trough of similar conformation and a parallel lower adjoining longitudinally extending convex portion. The ends of the reflector are formed of portions conforming in general outline to the rear portion of the reflector but are preferably flared outwardly in order to project the light slightly forwardly of the vehicle and to the sides thereof. The reflector is preferably mounted in the casing in a slightly downwardly tilted position in order to project the light at a very slight angle downwardly below a horizontal plane.

The casing 10 and reflector 11 are each open atthe front and the lens 12 is provided for closing the same, said lens being preferably held in position by a rim 10 carried by the casing 10. A plurality of lamp sockets 13 are spaced longitudinally of the central trough or concave portion of the trough in which sockets are mounted lamps 1l. By this construction light from the lamps 14E will strike the central concave portion of the reflector and will be projected directly ahead in a thin sheet or line of light while the light which strikes the concave upper portion will be projected downwardly .and outwardly. Also the light striking the convex lower portion will be broken up or defused and not concentrated to blind the eyes of a driver' of an approaching vehicle. At the same time the light will strike the end portions of the reflector and will be projected in a similar manner but across the center of the light and to the opposite side of the vehicle upon which the same is mounted, thus eliminating the necessity of a spot light.

To magnify and project the light which strikes the concave central trough of the reflector forwardly I provide a lens 12 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 with an elongated bulls-eye or rounded central portion 16 eX- t'ending longitudinally and centrally of the same adapted to overlie the series of lamps said lens having plain upper and lower portions extending from the central rounded i portion thereof. I have found that this type of lens is particularly suitable for my lamp,

the thickened center of said lens corresponding outwardly with thek central concave portion of the lamp reflector the purpose being to project, through the thickened portion which forms a lens magnifier, the full effect of the light a maximum distance on the road.

By using an elongated reflector of this type with a multiplicity of bulbs I am enabled to break up the light and then by focusing of the rays into a line I am able to project a line of light forwardly and to each side of a vehicle and attain the desired candle power through this central beam thus giving an abundance of light without glare.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my device withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

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1. A headlight comprising an elongated reflector having a relatively narrow longitudinally extending central depression and provided with a concave portion at the upper side of said depression, a convexly curved portion at the lower side of said depression, a plurality of lights mounted in spaced relation in said narrow longitudinally extending central depression said reflector having end portions provided with reflecting surfaces similar to the main reflecting surfaces of the reflector, substantially as set forth.

2. A reflector comprising a body having a central longitudinal trough, concave and convex side portions extending respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom said body having outwardly extending e'nd portions provided with a central longitudinally vdisposed trough with concave and convex side portions extending respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom and forming reflecting surfaces, substantially as set forth.

3. An automobile headlight comprising an elongated. casing, an elongated reflector in said casing having a relatively narrow depression extending longitudinally thereof and providing a reflecting surface, said reflector having a longitudinally arranged concave reflecting surface adjoining the upper side of said depression and having a longitudinally arranged convex reflecting surface adjoining the lower side of said re- Hector, and a lens for said headlight having an elongated bulls-eye of a size corresponding to the depression and adapted to overlie the same said lens being provided with a plain portion at each side of the elongated bulls-eye whereby the light will be reflected from the central depression through the elongated bulls-eye of the lens a maximum distance. directly ahead on the roadway in a line of light, substantially as set fort-h.

4. In a headlight the combination of an elongated shallow rellector having a relatively narrow depression extending longitudinally thereof providing a reflecting surface with longitudinally arranged convex and concave reflecting surfaces at the sides of said depression, and a source of light positioned ahead of the reflecting surfaces, substantially as set forth.

5. A headlight comprising an elongated reflector' having a relatively narrow longitudinally extending central depression and provided with a concave portion at the upper side of said depression, a convexly curved portion at the lower side of said depression, a plurality of lights mounted in spaced relation in said narrow longitudinally extending central depression said reflector having outwardly flaring end portions provided with reflecting surfaces similar to the main reflecting surfaces of the reflector, substantially as set forth.

6. A reflector comprising a body having a central longitudinal trough, concave and convex side portions extending' respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom said body having outwardly llaring end portions provided with a central longitudinally disposed trough with concave and convex side portions extending respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom and forming refleeting surfaces, substantially as set forth.

7. In a headlight the combination of an elongated reflector having a relatively narrow depression extending longitudinally thereof providing a reflecting surface with longitudinally arranged convex and concave reflecting surfaces at the side of said depression and outwardly flared end portions, and a source of light positioned ahead of the reflecting surfaces, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 14th day of September, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-six.

RUFUS A. RUSSELL, JR. 

